So this has been.my favorite song of OTEP's since it came out in 2004, and I always thought it was a song about a child's narrative of suffering in an abusive Christian home. But now that I am revisiting the lyrics, I am seeing something totally new.
This song could be gospel of John but from the perspective of Jesus.
Jesus was NOT having a good time up to and during the crucifixion. Everyone in the known world at the time looked to him with fear, admiration or disgust and he was constantly being asked questions. He spoke in "verses, prophesies and curses". He had made an enemy of the state, and believed the world was increasingly wicked and fallen from grace, or that he was in the "mouth of madness".
The spine of atlas is the structure that allows the titan to hold the world up. Jesus challenged the state and in doing so became a celebrated resistance figure. It also made him public enemy #1.
All of this happened simply because he was doing his thing, not because of any agenda he had or strategy.
And then he gets scourged (storm of thorns)
There are some plot holes here but I think it's an interesting interpretation.
Distant earthrise long ago
lingers at the borders of our minds
mysteries spinning in the dark
in the frozen emptiness of time
we were lost and we never knew
who we were or what we left behind
living half-lives we were blind
to the new frontiers that opened up our eyes
to find our minds were spinning
souls entwined in a spiral dance
the ancient ways have found us
again to give us one last chaaaaaaance
living in this place
staring into space we find
we might share the corners of our lives
infinity runs deep
eternity that we can keep
melting through the frozen wastes of time
so we go and we'll not return
to navigate the seas of the sun
our children will go on and on
to navigate the seas of the sun
so we go and we'll not return
we'll navigate the seas of the sun
our children will go on and on
to navigate the seas of the sun
we can go on tomorrow
living death by gravity
couldn't stand it anymore
we'll sail our ships to distant shores
purple gold and blue
living colors every hue
flowers in the garden of the gods
no one can ever know
if you never saw them grow
but this darkness is really full of light
[solos]
now beyond the earth
beyond all things that gave us birth
we'll navigate...
if god is throwing dice
and einstein doesn't mind the chance
we'll navigate...
infinity runs deep
eternity that we can keep
we'll navigate...
flowers of our souls
purple blue and gold we'll find
to navigate...
so we know who we are
even in this frozen waste
we'll navigate...
living in this place
staring into space we'll find
we'll navigate...
well beyond the earth
beyond all things that gave us birth
we'll...
if einstein's throwing dice
and god he doesn't mind the chance
we'll navigate...
flowers of the soul
purple blue and gold
and who we were before
eternity...
we'll navigate...
flowers of the soul
lingers at the borders of our minds
mysteries spinning in the dark
in the frozen emptiness of time
we were lost and we never knew
who we were or what we left behind
living half-lives we were blind
to the new frontiers that opened up our eyes
to find our minds were spinning
souls entwined in a spiral dance
the ancient ways have found us
again to give us one last chaaaaaaance
living in this place
staring into space we find
we might share the corners of our lives
infinity runs deep
eternity that we can keep
melting through the frozen wastes of time
so we go and we'll not return
to navigate the seas of the sun
our children will go on and on
to navigate the seas of the sun
so we go and we'll not return
we'll navigate the seas of the sun
our children will go on and on
to navigate the seas of the sun
we can go on tomorrow
living death by gravity
couldn't stand it anymore
we'll sail our ships to distant shores
purple gold and blue
living colors every hue
flowers in the garden of the gods
no one can ever know
if you never saw them grow
but this darkness is really full of light
[solos]
now beyond the earth
beyond all things that gave us birth
we'll navigate...
if god is throwing dice
and einstein doesn't mind the chance
we'll navigate...
infinity runs deep
eternity that we can keep
we'll navigate...
flowers of our souls
purple blue and gold we'll find
to navigate...
so we know who we are
even in this frozen waste
we'll navigate...
living in this place
staring into space we'll find
we'll navigate...
well beyond the earth
beyond all things that gave us birth
we'll...
if einstein's throwing dice
and god he doesn't mind the chance
we'll navigate...
flowers of the soul
purple blue and gold
and who we were before
eternity...
we'll navigate...
flowers of the soul
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